Monday, April 23, 2018

Fw: TheList 4705

1915—Lt. Patrick N. L. Bellinger, in the Burgess-Dunne AH-10 seaplane, establishes a United States altitude record for seaplanes by ascending to 10,000 feet over Pensacola, FL.

1918—USS Stewart (DD 13) races to the spot where two seaplanes are dropping bombs on a submarine. Stewart drops two depth charges and the explosions bring oil to the surface and the sub is declared a "kill" at the time, but it survives to surrender at the end of World War I.

1943—USS Seawolf (SS 197) sinks Japanese Patrol Boat #39 off east central coast of Formosa, while the enemy warship is screening the towing of the wrecked Nisshin Maru.

1945—Navy Patrol Bomber PB4Y "Liberators" (VPB 109) employ "Bat" missiles against Japanese shipping off Balikpapan, Borneo in the first combat use of the only automatic homing missile to be used in World War II.

1953—After five UN personnel are wounded on island of Tee-do, Korea, USS Henderson (DD 785) is sent to suppress gunfire and USS Owen (DD 536) evacuates the wounded to USS Manchester (CL 83).

Thanks to CHINFO

Executive Summary:

Top national headlines included the shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee that killed four, as well as previews of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the U.S. In written testimony to the Senate Armed Services committee, USPACOM nominee Adm. Phil Davidson warned Congress over a rising China reports the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Davidson said that the U.S. must continue innovating with next generation capabilities as "China has undergone a rapid military modernization over the last three decades and is approaching parity in a number of critical areas." At the upcoming summit, administration officials say that President Trump will urge North Korea to quickly dismantle its nuclear arsenal and that the U.S. will not grant substantial sanctions relief for a freeze of North Korea's nuclear and missile tests reports the Wall Street Journal. Additionally, the Portland Tribune reported on the commissioning of USS Portland. Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan provided the keynote, noting that "your city now has a ship worthy of its industrious heritage and creative spirit."

In case you haven't been paying attention these past few decades after you returned from Vietnam, the clock has been ticking. The following are some statistics that are at once depressing yet in a larger sense should give you a huge sense of pride.

"Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, Less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran's age approximated to be 60 years old."

So, if you're alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last 1/3rd of all the U.S. Vets who served in Vietnam?

I don't know about you guys, but it kinda gives me the chills, Considering this is the kind of information I'm used to reading about WWII and Korean War vets.

So the last 14 years we are dying too fast, only the few will survive by 2025. If true, 390 VN vets die a day. so in 2190 days...from today, lucky to be a Vietnam veteran alive... in only 6-10 years..

*STATISTICS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS: *

RIPPLE SALVO… #779… NATIONAL COLUMNIST AND HISTORIAN HOLMES ALEXANDER MAKES THE CASE: "A real state of war existed in the United States in April, 1968" … "What we had earlier this month, sad to say, was not just a civil disorder. Two nations, black and white, were in 'imperfect' but 'public' conflict. There was no need for Congress to make such a finding–the fact was manifest. Thousands of Negroes went into action against the government and forces of the U.S.A. Nearly 65,000 federal troops and National Guardsmen were mobilized to resist and terminate the attack which took American lives and destroyed private property."…. but first…

GOOD MORNING…Day SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-NINE of a 1,000 day visit in the pages of American history that included an air war called Rolling Thunder…

HEAD LINES from the OGDEN STANDARD-EXAMINER on Tuesday, 23 April 1968…

THE WAR: Page 1: "NO MAJOR BATTLE IN SIGHT"… "…On the ground in South Vietnam there was heavy fighting south of Saigon, but no sign of the major enemy attack on the capital feared by the South Vietnamese. Troops of the U.S. 9th Infantry Division and the 199th Light Infantry Brigade fought an all-infantry battle 17 miles southwest of Saigon with an estimated battalion of Viet Cong holed up in bunkers. The Viet Cong opened up on the infantrymen when helicopters landed them in a nearby clearing. More troops were rushed in by helicopter, and artillery, helicopter gunships and fighter-bombers were called into the fight that raged through the night. The Viet Cong retreated just before dawn. Eight U.S. soldiers were reported killed and six were wounded. …The U.S. troops said they found 35 Viet Cong bodies in the bunker complex."… South Vietnamese infantry reported 115 Viet Cong killed in a battle 30 miles south of Saigon. South Vietnamese troops reported seven of their own killed and 47 were wounded… Government forces in the capital and in neighboring provinces were put on full alert Monday…Key U.S. officials said the alert was a case of war jitters…'No alert or any warning has been issued to American personnel.' "… ELSEWHERE IN THE WAR… "Enemy mortar and rocket fire hit a military airfield at Vung Tau, the resort-port 50 miles southeast of Saigon; an oil tank at Kien Hoa, 435 miles south of Saigon and a militia post 49 miles southeast of Saigon. One American soldier was killed and two South Vietnamese were killed. Three American paratroopers were killed and 22 were wounded Monday night when four 105-mm rounds fired by a U.S. artillery unit fell short. The artillery fire was in support of a paratrooper unit deployed near Phuc Binh about 29 miles northeast of Saigon."…U.S. B-52 bombers continued their relentless pounding of North Vietnamese propositions in the A Shau Valley west of Hue. The giant bombers made five more raids there Monday and a sixth this morning."…Page 1: "PROTECTIVE SHELTERS NEEDED–GROUND AIRCRAFT LOSSES JAR GENERAL"… "General Earle G. Wheeler says the enemy has destroyed or damaged $132.5 million in U.S. aircraft on the ground in Vietnam–a toll he contends could have been drastically reduced cut by the use of shelters

Page 1: "THIRD F-111 CRASHES"… "The U.S. Command announced today the third crash of a U.S. Air Force F-111 fighter-bomber on its way to or from a bombing mission against North Vietnam. The command said the plane was believed down somewhere in Thailand Monday night. There was no sign or other information on the plane or its two crewmen. Six of the $6-million swing-wing aircraft arrived at an airbase in Thailand March 17 and went into combat March 25…Two F-111A crashes followed.."…

Editor's Note: Very short this week as I am a bit under the weather. Planning to be up and ready next week.

Urologists have been blessed with golden opportunities; they know how to go with the flow; and they make the lives of their patients a wee bit better.

Something I recently learned is once you have bladder trouble…urine trouble.

Did you hear about the charismatic urologist? He can charm the pants off anyone.

Do you know what the urologist's favorite keyboard shortcut is? CTRL P

The other day I called the doctor's office and got this response: "Urology…Please Hold"

So I entered all of my symptoms into WebMD and it recommended euthanasia.

While I was in the doctor's waiting room, there was this tiny man, only about six inches tall. Although he was there before me, he let me see the doctor first. I suppose he just had to be a little patient.

Have a great wee k,

Al

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Thanks to Chuck

The Crusader: The Last Gunfighter Was One Impressive Engineering Triumph —

Item Number:1 Date: 04/23/2018 AFGHANISTAN - 57 DIE IN ISIS ATTACK ON VOTER REGISTRATION CENTER (APR 23/RFAFGHAN) RADIO FREE AFGHANISTAN -- A suicide bombing has killed at least 57 people in the Afghan capital, Kabul, reports Radio Free Afghanistan. The attacker detonated his device on Sunday amid a crowd of people waiting in line for ID cards in the mainly-Shi'ite area of Dashte Barchi in western Kabul. Many of the dead were women and children, said people who were waiting in line. At least 119 people were injured The Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack. A similar bombing in Pul-e-Khumri in the northern Baghlan province near another voting registration center took place about two hours after the Kabul bombing and killed at least six and injured five, reported Tolo News (Afghanistan). ISIS has launched a series of attacks against Shi'ite targets in Afghanistan, including a March assault that killed 32 people. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack and affirmed his commitment to the democratic process. There are more than 7,000 voter registration and ID centers as part of Afghanistan's effort to register 10 million voters for elections in October. Security remains a top concern during the process. The Taliban has regained swathes of territory across the country and ISIS has been attacking civilians.

Item Number:2 Date: 04/23/2018 ARMENIA - SOLDIERS JOIN PROTESTS; SARKISIAN ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION (APR 23/ALJAZ) AL JAZEERA -- Hundreds of soldiers have joined ongoing anti-government protests in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Monday, the Armenian Defense Ministry said it would take harsh measures against troops who participated in demonstrations. The protests against Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian are in their 11th day. Clergy members were also seen joining the protests. Nikol Pashinyan and two other opposition politicians were arrested on Sunday, accused of engaging in dangerous acts. Pashinyan was released on Monday. Protesters are marching in opposition to Sarkisian's recent election to prime minister after serving 10 years as president. Critics have said the move amounts to a power grab and an attempt to bypass term limits. In 2015, Armenia shifted many of the president's powers to the prime minister. At the time, Sarkisian said he would not seek the prime minister post. On Monday, Sarkisian resigned from the prime minister post, according to a statement on his website, reported Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Item Number:3 Date: 04/23/2018 BELGIUM - 20-YEAR SENTENCE FOR 2015 PARIS ATTACK SUSPECT FOR SHOOTING AFTER ATTACK (APR 23/CNN) CABLE NEWS NETWORK -- The only surviving member of the cell that launched a 2015 terrorist attack in Paris has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for a shootout in Belgium that followed the attack, reports CNN. A Belgian court found Salah Abdeslam guilty of attempted murder in a "terrorist context" on Monday, the prosecutor's office said. His co-defendant, Sofien Ayari, also received a 20-year sentence. Both men were also convicted for possessing firearms and fined 12,000 euros (US$14,800). Both refused to appear in court, saying they would trust only in God. Abdeslam was a member of the cell that conducted a November 2015 attack on a Paris concert hall and nearby restaurants that killed more than 130 people. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS). Four months later, police encountered Abdeslam in the Forest suburb of Brussels, where a shootout erupted, reported the Guardian (U.K.). Three police officers were injured and Abdeslam escaped. Belgian police arrested him in another suburb, Molenbeek, three days later. Abdeslam is currently in jail in France. He is awaiting a separate trial over the Paris attacks.

Item Number:4 Date: 04/23/2018 CANADA - MILITARY BOOSTS SPONSORSHIP OF MEDICAL RESIDENTS IN EFFORT TO ADDRESS DOCTOR SHORTAGE (APR 23/GAM) GLOBE AND MAIL -- The Canadian military has decided to significantly increase the number of medical residents it sponsors in return for service, reports the Globe and Mail (Toronto). The number of residents whose training will be paid for by the military will increase from 18 to 50 under the plan, according to Lt. Gen. Charles Lamarre, the head of the Military Personnel Command. The military is 56 doctors short of its requirement. It will sponsor graduates who are interested in becoming family physicians, a field that requires two years of residency. In return, the doctors will be expected to join the armed forces and complete at least four years of service once their training is completed. The military is also offering a Can$150,000 (US$119,000) signing bonus for those that join the program.

Item Number:5 Date: 04/23/2018 CHINA - SEA TRIALS FOR 1ST DOMESTIC CARRIER TO BEGIN SOON (APR 23/SCMP) SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST -- The first domestically-built Chinese aircraft carrier will soon begin sea trials, reports the South China Morning post. Sea trials for China's new Type 001A aircraft carrier could begin as soon as this week, said a navy source. On April 20, the Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration closed three areas in the northeastern Bohai and Yellow Seas for military activities. The areas are close to the shipyard where the carrier is being built. The closures will continue until April 28. A main engine run reportedly was conducted on April 17, a likely prelude to sea trials, said a source. Testing is expected to cover ship's basic functions, including power, damage control and radar and communication systems. The Type 001A was launched in April of last year. Dalian Shipbuilding Industry announced that the carrier was ready for sea trials last month. The carrier is expected to enter service later in 2018, 12 months ahead of schedule. The project is being accelerated due to growing rivalry with the U.S., said one expert

Item Number:6 Date: 04/23/2018 GREECE - NAVY TO LEASE PAIR OF FRIGATES FROM FRANCE (APR 23/KATH) KATHIMERINI -- The Greek navy is leasing two Aquitaine-class frigates from France as part of an effort to strengthen its capabilities amid growing tensions with Turkey, reports the Kathimerini (Athens) newspaper. The move was confirmed after letters were exchanged by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and French President Emmanuel Macron and at the top levels of the two militaries. France is providing the warships, likely the Aquitaine and Languedoc, on a five-year lease. The frigates are expected to enter Greek service in August 2018. At the end of the lease, Greece will take delivery of its first Belharra-type frigate. Athens has been in talks with France for four months for the procurement of two to four of the ships. Paris has also agreed to supply Exocet anti-ship missiles, said the newspaper.

Item Number:7 Date: 04/23/2018 MALAYSIA - ARMY TO GET FRENCH 105-MM HOWITZERS (APR 23/NEXTER) NEXTER -- The Malaysian Ministry of Defense has announced the purchase of 105-mm howitzers from France, reports Nexter, the manufacturer of the system. The three-year contract covers 18 105LG1 artillery systems, with the first six guns to be delivered by November 2019. Final deliveries are slated for February 2020. The 105LG1 is designed for rapid reaction forces. It can be towed by a light vehicle, transported by a medium helicopter or airdropped from a C-130 Hercules type cargo aircraft. The system weighs 3,640 pounds (1,650 kg) and requires a crew of five. It can be made ready to fire in 30 seconds and has a rate of fire of at least 12 rounds per minute, according to Nexter. Maximum range is 11 miles (17 km).

Item Number:8 Date: 04/23/2018 MALAYSIA - HAMAS ENGINEER GUNNED DOWN IN KUALA LUMPUR (APR 23/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- Unknown men have gunned down a Hamas engineer in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, reports the BBC. On April 21, two men on a motorbike fired 10 rounds at Fadi al-Batsh as he walked down the street. Batsh's family quickly accused Israel's foreign intelligence body, the Mossad, of conducting the killing. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lierberman denied the accusation, suggesting that Batsh was likely killed as part of an intra-Palestinian dispute. "A settling of scores among terrorist organizations, among terrorists, among various factions, is something that we see from time to time." Batsh, 35, was a weapons engineer who should not be mourned, said Lieberman, citing statements from the militant group that touted the deceased's contributions to rockets. Batsh had lived in Malaysia for 10 years and taught electrical engineering. The investigation is ongoing, said Malaysian police. Hamas has often accused Israeli intelligence operators of carrying out assassinations on its members abroad, including the killing of a Tunisian drone expert in 2016. On Sunday, Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said Israel would target the group's leaders if Hamas attacked Israeli targets abroad, reported Turkey's Anadolu Agency.

Item Number:10 Date: 04/23/2018 NICARAGUA - PRESIDENT REVOKES PROPOSED SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES AFTER VIOLENT PROTESTS (APR 23/WSJ) WALL STREET JOURNAL -- President Daniel Ortega has canceled a proposal to overhaul Nicaragua's pension system after violent demonstrations killed as many as 26 people, reports the Wall Street Journal. Speaking on national television Sunday, Ortega said that he had revoked legislation to increase payroll taxes and cut pension benefits to help the dwindling fund. The International Monetary Fund has warned that Nicaragua's social security fund could be depleted by 2019. Opponents say the Ortega government has been using it to fund housing projects and medical facilities developed by political allies. Ortega will sit with business and religious leaders to discuss solutions to end violence that erupted in opposition to the proposal. A business group demanded that the government free people arrested during the protests and restore freedom of speech as a precondition to the talks. Ortega said the arrested would stand trial and did not mention television stations that have had their signals blocked. It remained unclear if the announcement would lead to an end to protests and widespread discontent, which became apparent after the potential changes were announced on April 16. Casualty figures resulting from the violence have varied. The government on Sunday said that eight people were killed. A rights group put the number at 26. Demonstrations were concentrated in the capital, Managua, but spread to at least 10 cities across the country, reported NPR. Nicaraguan police are accused of using live rounds to disperse the protesters

Item Number:11 Date: 04/23/2018 RUSSIA - DEFENSES MAY BE STRENGTHENED WITH RUSSIAN S-300 SYSTEMS (APR 23/KOMMER) KOMMERSANT -- Russia will soon supply Syria with the S-300 air defense systems, according to a senior Russian official cited by Russia's Kommersant newspaper. Israel would suffer catastrophic consequences if it attacks the system, the anonymous official said on Monday, as cited by the Jerusalem Post. The S-300PMU2 system will likely be supplied to the Assad government for free, said the source. The system will be delivered by transport ships or the Russian navy. Later in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov retreated somewhat, saying the issue was still being decided, according to Russia's Tass news agency. A former Russian defense official said that it would likely take at least three months to train Syrian troops to operate the system. Russian advisers would need to be stationed at the batteries to coordinate. Syria previously expected to obtain S-300 systems, but Russia cancelled the deal amid international pressure, the Jerusalem Post reported at the time. The S-300 would enhance Syria's air defenses substantially. Much of the country's air defenses are from the Soviet-era, including SA-2s, SA-5s, SA-6s and SA-17s, along with the post-Soviet Pantsyr-S1.

Item Number:12 Date: 04/23/2018 RUSSIA - PACIFIC FLEET EVALUATES CAPABILITIES IN LARGE-SCALE DRILL IN SEA OF JAPAN (APR 23/INT-AVN) INTERFAX-MILITARY NEWS AGENCY -- The Russian Pacific Fleet is holding a major tactical exercise this week in the Sea of Japan, reports Interfax-AVN. The drills, which began on April 20 and run through the end of the month, involve tactical groups of ships conducting anti-submarine warfare, air defense and surface warfare, including rocket and artillery firing at coastal, sea and air targets, said a Pacific Fleet spokesman. At various stages of the drills, up to 30 warships and support vessels and 20 aircraft will be participating, the spokesman said. The exercise is part of the final check of the fleet at the conclusion of the winter training period.

Item Number:13 Date: 04/23/2018 SOUTH SUDAN - ARMY CHIEF DIES SUDDENLY IN EGYPT (APR 23/SUDTRIB) SUDAN TRIBUNE -- The chief of General Staff for the South Sudanese army has died during a visit to Egypt, reports the Sudan Tribune. Gen. James Ajongo Mawut, 64, died in Cairo on April 20 after a short illness, the government said. It was not immediately clear what caused the general's death. A family member said Mawut had spent months in Kenya seeking medical help before being relocated to Cairo. Mawut was promoted to the top army post in May 2017 after Gen. Paul Malong was fired. He joined the rebel movement in South Sudan in 1983.

Item Number:14 Date: 04/23/2018 USA - ARMY ANNOUNCES LATEST TROOP ROTATIONS (APR 23/S&S) STARS AND STRIPES -- The U.S. Army has named three brigade combat teams slated to rotate overseas in the next several months, reports the Stars and Stripes. The 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas, is scheduled to head to Iraq in the spring, where it will replace the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, which has been training, advising and assisting Iraqi security forces. The headquarters and Special Troops battalion of the 101st Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade, Fort Campbell, Ky., will go to Afghanistan to replace the 3rd Infantry Division's Sustainment Brigade. The unit will be responsible for logistics operations in the region, including ensuring food, water, fuel and ammunition are delivered to U.S. and NATO forces. Finally, the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo., will deploy to Europe to replace the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, to provide aviation support to U.S. and NATO forces as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The unit will be primarily based out of Germany and is scheduled to take part in exercises in Poland, Hungry, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the Army said.

Item Number:15 Date: 04/23/2018 USA - F/A-18C HORNETS WRAP UP COMBAT OPERATIONS WITH NAVY (APR 23/S&S) STARS AND STRIPES -- The U.S. Navy says that its F/A-18C Hornet fighters will no longer be deployed on operational missions, reports the Stars and Stripes. The fighter completed its last full deployment in March aboard the USS Carl Vinson. Strike Fighter Squadron 34 (VFA-34) is scheduled to fly the jets during this summer's Rim of the Pacific exercises in Hawaii, noted a Naval Air Forces Pacific Fleet spokeswoman. The F/A-18C will then be used primarily for demonstrations and training with the Blue Angels at the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center and in reserve squadrons, the spokeswoman said. San Diego-based VFA-34 will be the last squadron to make the transition to the F/A-18E Super Hornet when it begins the process in February 2019, she said. The move will free up space on carrier decks for the new F-35C, which is nearing operational status after wrapping up carrier qualifications in March.

Item Number:16 Date: 04/23/2018 YEMEN - AT LEAST 20 KILLED IN COALITION AIRSTRIKES IN NORTH (APR 23/REU) REUTERS -- Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition have killed at least 20 people in a village in northwestern Yemen, reports Reuters. The victims were attending a wedding when they were killed on Sunday, residents and medical sources said. A hospital in Hajjah said they had received as many as 40 bodies and 46 people seeking treatment for injuries sustained during the strike. At least 33 people were killed and 41 wounded, local officials told CNN. The matter would be investigated seriously, said a spokesman for the coalition. A separate airstrike killed a family of four in their house near Sanaa on Sunday night, said residents. The alliance has been fighting to restore ousted President Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was removed by Houthi rebels in 2015. Gains been slow despite overwhelming firepower and U.S. targeting support. The coalition and their international backers have faced criticisms for civilian casualties and a worsening humanitarian situation. Saudi Arabia accuses the Houthis of functioning as an Iranian proxy.

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